Decoy



Aug. 22, 1933.

c. F. KILGORE DECOY 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Feb. 23, 1929 E R O G m K F mm 5 mA ATTORNEY Aug. 22,1933.

c. F. KILGORE 1,923,442

DEGOY Filed Feb. 23, 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 n INVENTOR v CHARLES EKILGORE ATTORN EY Patented Aug. 22,

- UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE pacer Charles F. Kilgore, Minneapolis, Minn. Application February 23, 1929. Serial No. 342,191

12 Claims.

This invention relates to decoys and carrying cases therefor, and the primary object is to provide a novel, efficient and practical design of decoy for wild fowl, thatis not only simple in 5 construction and attractive in appearance, but which is collapsible in part, so as to take but little room when in transportation, and is also easily and quickly set up when in use. A further object is to provide the decoy with anchoring means including an anchor chord which is so arranged that it is very effective when in use, yet will not be in the way or become tangled up when the decoys are out of use. A further object is to provide an improved style of carrying case in which 1 a set of decoys can be conveniently packed and transported to and from the shooting grounds,

Further and more detailed objects will be disclosed in the course of the following specification,

reference being had to the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Fig. l is a side elevation of my improved decoy, as when in use.

Fig. 2 is a front elevation of the decoy.

Fig. 3 is a top or plan view of the device as shown in Figs. 1 and 2.

Fig. 4 is a longitudinal sectional elevation taken centrally through the decoy.

Fig. 5 is a detail view of the decoy head section, as detached from the body-and partly in section, but with the anchor chord in an unsecured condition.

Fig. 6 is a view of the head member as detached and with the anchor chord as wound about the neck and secured.

Fig. 'i is a bottom view of the decoy as seen when closed. a

Fig. 8 is a sectional detail view, as on the line 8-8 in Fig. 4, but with the keel plate or center board in the vertical and pulled down position it assumes before being secured in its perpendicular position under the decoy.

' Fig. ii is a bottom plan view of the modified form; of the decoy, collapsed.

Fig. 10 is a sectional elevation on the line. 10-10 in Fig. 9.

Fig. 11 is a cross sectional elevation on the line 11-11 in Fig. Iii.

Fig. 12 is a' view illustrating how the head, body. and anchor of the decoy are secured together so that none of the parts can be lost or become detached even if the decoy should beturned over wheninuse.

Fig. 13 is a perspective view of my improved decoy carrying case, in its open position.

Fig. 14 is a perspective view of the carrying case when closed, in readiness to be transported.

Referring to the drawings more particularly and by reference characters, A designates the body of the decoy having a removable head B, 0 the decoy, in the present instance, simulating a wild duck. The body A is preferably made of wood, so that it will properly float, but the head B is preferably madeoi aluminum or other metal, so that it willnot break or chip when struck by 6% shot. The head may be lightened by being cored out, as a hollow shell, and is provided with a tubular sleeve 15 which snugly fits in a cone spondingiy shaped aperture 16 in the forward end of the body. An anchor 17 is secured to the head by a cord 18 that extends up through the member 15, and thence out and back through the head shell to provide a loop 19. When the weight is dropped the cord assumes the position shown in Figs. 1, 2 and When the decoy is to be packed, for shipping or removal from the hunting grounds, the loop iii is pulled out, as shown in Fig. 5, so that the weight 1'? is lifted up into the sleeve 15, which it is designed to fit. The cord it, which is now doubled, and therefore of only hali its actual length, may be wound about the neck of the head, as in Figs. 6, 9 and 10, and its end attached as by a small clip or hook 20. Thus the decoy head, anchor and anchor cord are all gathered into a compact unit, with no loose ends or parts to become lost or entangled with similar parts of other decoys in the set. If. the decoy should be knocked or otherwise tumbled over in thewater, none of the parts will be lost, because evenif the head should fall out, the parts will be held together by the anchor cord as shown in Fig. 12.

when the decoy is to be packed for shipment the head unit above described may be inserted in a chamber 0 in. the bottom of the body section and there retained by a spring 21, as shown in Figs. 911. A preferred method of constructing the body, however, 'is illustrated in Figs. 1, 2, s, 7, and 8, and may be described as follows: mo The decoy is provided with a head receiving chamber D, having an entrance opening similar in shape to and substantially closed by a plate or center board 22. This plate has a beaded edge securing a wire 23 having parallel angularly extending fingers 2%. when the plate 22 is in the chamber closing position the fingers 24 lie flat against the bottom of the decoy body, as in Figs. 2 and I. when the plate is opened to a perpendicular position for use as a center board, however, the fingers 24 may be set into small a pair of spring arms 26, the outer ends of which are in turn fastened to the bottom of the decoy body as shown. These springs are sufficiently flexible to permit of the necessary movements of the fingers 24 (see Fig. 8), and may also have slotted ends 2'7, receiving the wire 23, to prevent any binding of the fingers 24 when beinginserted in or removed from the holes 25. It will thus be seen that the plate 22 provides a simple and efficient means both for maintaining the equilibrium of the device when in use, and for retaining the head unit, when the decoy is not in active use as such.

It will be understood that while the head B may be carried in the chamber D, it may also be carried outside or as a separate unit in which event the body need not be provided with the chamber. It will also be noted that while the head unit is best made detachable for shipping purposes the weight--17 may also be conveniently disposed up within the aperture at the head end of the body even though the head is not detached,

for instance as when merely moving the decoys from one place to another, or when taking them up for the night.

The decoy carrying case, illustrated in Figs. 13 and 14, may be made of stiff or flexible material, a heavy duck or canvas probably being most preferable. It'comprises two spaced rectangular containers, 28 and 29, each of which is partitioned on into chamber 30 adapted to snugly receive the collapsed decoys. The outer walls (when the case is open, as in Fig. 13) of the respective containers are provided with handles 31, and the inner walls are connected by a member 32 having a slot 33 adapted to receive the handles 31 when the case is closed, as shown in Fig. 14. Thus the member 32 serves as a cover for the compartments 30, and also ties the two containers together in an effective and eflicient manner, when being carried. This construction also eliminates the necessity of straps, buckles, clasps, etc., and permits of a quick removal and reinsertion of the decoys.

It is understood that suitable modifications may be made in the .structure as disclosed, provided such modifications come within the spirit and scope of the appended claims. Having nowthereforeiully illustrated and described my invention what I claim to be new and desire to protect by Letters Patent is:

l. A decoy comprising a body, a head unit detachably secured to the body, and an anchor member secured to and containable within the head unit, said anchor member being connected directly to the head unit by a flexible element movable through the body.

2. A decoy comprising a body, a head unit detachably secured to the body, and an anchor member secured to and containable within the head unit, said anchor member being connected to the head unit by a flexible element to be pulled upthrough the head unit to pull the anchor into the unit. r a

3. A decoy comprising a body, a head unit detachably secured to the body, and an anchor member secured to and containable within the head unit, said anchor member being connected to thezhead unit by a flexible element, and said flexible element being provided, at the exterior of the head unit, with a finger engageable loop.

,4. A decoy comprising a body member having an aperture in its forward end, an anchor and a head for the decoy having a tubular depending extension for detachable engagement in the aperture and for containing the anchor.

5. A decoy comprising a body member having an aperture in its forward end, and a head for the decoy having a depending extension for detachable engagement in the aperture, said extension being hollow and open whereby it may be employed to receive the decoy anchor.

6. A decoy having a body chamber opening through its bottom, a plate hingedly attached to the body and to serve as a cover to close the chamber, and spring means for holding the cover closed.

'7. A decoy having a body chamber opening -may serve as a center board.

8. A decoy head unit comprising a fowl head simulating member having" a tubular projection for attachment to the body of the decoy, an anchor to be contained within the tubular projection,

and a flexible element connecting the member,

and anchor. l i

9. A decoy head unit comprising a fowl head simulating member having a tubular projection for attachment to the body of the decoy, an anchor to be contained within the tubular projection, a flexible element connecting the member and anchor, and means for attaching .the element to the member after it has been wound upon the member.

10. A decoy comprising a body block having an opening to receive an anchorweight and a perforation above the opening, a flexible element secured at one end to the anchor weight and to be drawn upwardly through the, perforation to pull the anchor into the said opening.

11. A decoy comprising a body block having an opening to receive an anchor weight, a flexible element secured at one end to the anchor weight and having a portion exposed at the exterior of the'body block to be drawn upwardly to pull th anchor into the saidopening.

12. A decoy comprising a body block having an opening to receive an anchor weight, a flexible element secured at one end to the anchor weight and to be drawn upwardly to pull-the anchor into the said opening, and a detachable head for the decoy, the upper end of the flexibleelement being secured to the head.

CHARLFiS F. moan. 

